Deal Breaker
by goldpiece
Summary: Booth's mother opens a can of worms when she asks Temperance why she doesn't want to have kids. Cullen's BullPen challenge response.


A/N: This fic was conceived from a challenge issued to me by Siapom in relation to a fiction writing challenge I'm beginning. For any Bones fiction writers who are interested, please PM me, and I'll give you this month's challenge. Each month will have a new one, so don't worry if you can't think of anything. With that in mind, enjoy.

Booth and Temperance stood poolside as Parker played with his cousins in the hot summer sun. The entire Booth clan was there, a monumental barbeque in progress. Booth had one arm casually draped across his wife's slim shoulders, while the other held a beer. Tempe leaned into Booth and sighed contentedly. While she never wanted to be married, she'd conceded after several months of pressure from both Booth and Angela that marriage wasn't as bad as she'd made it seem.

She watched her stepson splashing around in the water and smiled. He was such a good kid, and it was always a pleasure to have him when Rebecca let him visit.

"You want another beer, Babe?" Seeley looked at her as he finished his off.

"Sure," she smiled. Booth gave a small nod and wandered off toward a cooler. His mother, Margaret wandered over and stood next to Temperance as she watched Parker.

"He's such a good little boy," Margaret smiled at Tempe.

"Yes he is. Seeley's a lucky man."

"So tell me, Tempe, when are you two planning to have a child?"

"We aren't. I don't want kids." Tempe looked at her mother in law, who looked completely affronted.

"How can you say you don't like kids when you're so good with Parker?" Tempe stiffened at the implication. She glanced quickly at Booth, and was relieved to see him heading her way again.

"I never said I don't like kids. I just don't want any." With a sigh of relief, she leaned back into Seeley as he finally reached her. She knew he'd side with her here.

"Seeley, talk some sense into your wife. How could she not want kids?"

"Mom…"

"Didn't you tell me the other day that you wanted more? I thought it meant you two were trying." Temperance turned to her husband, shocked.

"Seeley!"

"What? No, I just said it would be nice for Parker to have a brother or sister…"

"Well then let Rebecca handle that aspect." Temperance stormed off and into the house. Booth watched her leaving, gave a sigh and followed behind her, well aware that everyone was watching them leave.

"Tempe, wait!" He stopped as the door to the house slammed in his face. He looked skyward for a second, wishing she could be calmer about the issue. With resolve, he opened the door and stepped inside, making his way to their room. The door was locked, and he could hear her muttering. "Come on, Babe. We need to talk about this." The muttering stopped, and angry footsteps stomped toward the door. Booth stepped back quickly as the door swung open in his face.

"You're damn right we need to talk about this! How could you, Booth! You know how I feel about this issue."

"I never said…"

"Then to have your mom say you said we were going to have children… I'm so mad right now."

"Would it honestly be that bad to have one kid?"

"Do you have any idea how many compromises I've made to my personal beliefs for this relationship? Why do I have to make all of the compromises? I didn't want to get married in the first place."

"Are you saying that you don't want to be married to me?"

"I never wanted to get married. I wasn't interested in a long term relationship."

"Oh, I forgot, sex for recreation, right? Well let me remind you, Tempe, that the biological function of sex is for procreation, not recreation."

"Screw you, Booth! I have made compromise after compromise for this relationship to work."

"So it's my fault if I want to be a full time father? You know I love Parker, but I want the opportunity to be a dad twenty four seven."

"You are a father all the time. You just don't always have Parker with you. I don't understand why this is such an issue. It's the only compromise I've asked you to make, and yet you constantly try to get me to change my mind on the subject."

"That's not the only compromise I've made."

"Oh really, and what are the others?"

"Religion. We didn't get married in a church because I would never want to force you into going."

"And yet you push for kids. What were you planning on doing, sabotaging my birth control? Do you hope that if you get me pregnant accidentally on purpose that I'll be rejoicing about the miracle of life?"

"I would never do anything like that, and you know it."

"Is this the deal breaker? I don't want kids, so this is over? See, this is why I didn't want to get married." Temperance glared at Booth, who just looked at her, shell-shocked.

"Well, if you don't want to be married, then I'm sure that can be arranged." With that, Booth left the room, slamming the door behind him. Brennan stumbled backwards until her legs hit the back of the bed. She collapsed back onto it, trying desperately not to let the tears welling in her eyes spill out.

XxXxX

Booth returned late that evening to find Temperance curled up on a couch with Parker, both of them fast asleep. He carefully picked up his son and carried him to his bedroom. Parker remained asleep as his father stripped him and put him in his pajamas. Booth set his son down on his bed and pulled the covers up over him.

He went back to the living room and watched his wife sleeping. Their fight had affected her enough that her expression, though sleep softened, was one of worry. Booth's chest tightened. She had been right. Slowly, reluctantly, Temperance had conceded almost every one of her personal beliefs to be in a relationship with him, and he was trying to force her hand on this issue as well.

Slowly, he reached forward and brushed a strand of hair out of Tempe's face. Her eyes fluttered open, and as she focused on her husband, she frowned.

"Where have you been?"

"I had to get out and clear my head, think about some things."

"Like how soon you want a divorce?"

"Okay, I deserved that. No, as a matter of fact, I came to tell you that you're right. I've been forcing your hand on everything, and for the most part, you've been willing to concede." Temperance opened her mouth to speak, but Booth held up a hand, silencing her. "Just let me finish. It's wrong of me to assume you should make all of the adjustments. You're right, I always am a father, and it was wrong of me to use my situation with Rebecca against you. I don't expect you to change your mind, and I won't pressure you into having a child. I have a son that we both love, and that's enough."

"Seeley, are you sure we can make it? There are still so many things that we haven't worked through, so many things that we don't agree on."

"We'll get through them, Sweetheart, I have no doubt about that. I love you too much to lose you over this." Temperance got up off the couch, wrapped her arms around her husband's waist, and placed her head against his chest. She was content to stand there listening to his heartbeat. Booth pulled her closer to him and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her in his embrace. This was something he didn't want to give up. He was a husband, and a father, and nothing besides death itself would make him give up on either.


End file.
